In an inkjet head which is an example of a droplet ejecting head, flushing is known as technique for maintaining conditions of menisci formed in ejection ports. Flushing includes ejection flushing for ejecting ink droplets from the ejection ports by driving piezoelectric actuators (vibrators) and non-ejection flushing for vibrating menisci without ejecting ink droplets from the ejection ports by driving the piezoelectric actuators. Especially when ink with high viscosity and quick drying characteristics is used, an increase in viscosity of ink and hardening of ink tend to occur near the ejection ports. However, by performing ejection flushing and non-ejection flushing, it is possible to maintain conditions of menisci and to well maintain recording quality.
The piezoelectric actuators are arranged in confrontation with openings of pressure chambers (cavities), and have piezoelectric layers (piezoelectric elements) sandwiched between electrodes with respect to the thickness direction. The pressure chamber is a space that is provided for each ejection port and that is in communication with the ejection port. The pressure chamber is exposed, through an opening, in a surface of a channel member in which ink channels are formed. Driving of the piezoelectric actuator causes an active portion of the piezoelectric layer (a portion of the piezoelectric layer sandwiched between the electrodes in the thickness direction) to be displaced so that energy is applied to ink within the pressure chamber. This causes an ink droplet to be ejected from the ejection port, or causes a meniscus to be vibrated without ejecting an ink droplet from the ejection port.